The Bradford Area High School Music Department will be hosting the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 2 Jazz Festival Thursday through Saturday.
Twenty-three schools from northwestern Pennsylvania will be participating in this event, sending their very best jazz musicians to rehearse and perform a public concert. Five students from BAHS will be participating in this year’s event: Brayden Ervin, Hugh Kennedy, Gerrit Randall-Klouw, Spencer Whittemore and Zach Williams.
The event will feature four bands, comprising students from many schools, and each band will have a guest conductor. This year’s conductors are Kathy Thumpston, former Bradford Area High School band director; Brent Johnson, McDowell High School band director, Shawn Halquist, a native of Wilcox who is presently teaching in Brockport, N.Y.; and Dr. Jeffrey Jacobsen, professor of music at Mansfield University. Each conductor will work with the students Thursday evening and all day Friday to prepare for a Saturday afternoon concert.
The concert will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in BAHS Auditorium, and is open to the public. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
